The present disclosure relates to a system that detachably installs to automotive vehicles for transporting articles without compromising, but instead maintaining the integrity of a mounting surface, and more particularly, to a carrier system that detachably installs to vehicles with a vacuum assembly for transporting articles.
Carriers or racks are commonly used with automotive vehicles to transport various recreational equipment, such as, bicycles, skis, snowboards, surfboards, and the like. Conventional carriers are mounted in one of these locations: to the roof, to the trunk, the rear window, to the truck bed, or to a trailer hitch. To withstand the large forces on the carrier and the supported articles while the vehicle is moving, conventional carriers must securely attach to the vehicle. Either the carrier is permanently attached to the vehicle with fasteners, or removeably attached to the vehicle using brackets, straps, or latches. However, both methods have disadvantages.
Permanently installed carriers can be expensive to purchase and install, and typically require modifications to the vehicle. In addition, they cannot be removed. Detachable carriers are difficult and time-consuming to install and must be repeatedly installed and removed. Also, they are susceptible to damaging the vehicle during installation and use due to the plates and straps applied to the vehicle under tension which causes denting and scratching. If improperly installed, damage can occur to the vehicle and the articles being transported.
Conventional racks are typically designed for use with a specific make and model of vehicle. Therefore, they generally do not work on different vehicles, at least not without adaptors or modifications. As a result, manufacturers must produce an increased number of parts and retailers must provide an ever increasingly complex list of parts options lists to consumers, which also increases the cost. In addition, consumers that purchase a rack for one vehicle cannot use the same rack for a different vehicle.
Therefore, a carrier that is easily and reliably installed and removed from a multiple vehicles is needed that maintains the integrity of a mounting surface.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.